If there were any doubt, no longer: this is the Age of Steph Curry. After making noise in the first few exhibition games with the 2024 USA Olympic team, Curry got quiet on the scoreboard. Opponents were keying on him, which often left space for damage close to the basket. The US team was beating up opponents on the inside, with defensive blocks and steals and lots and lots of fast breaks. Le Bron James became the point forward, leading the offense. Steph became an enabler, diverting attention as well as making passes and screens. His 3 point shot seemed a little off, perhaps due to the speed of play plus the different international 3 point line.
In the last two games, defenses tried to guard the basket area better, which left Steph some space. He also became the point guard again in key situations. And then, there's Steph being Steph in big moments.
In the semi-final, Serbia was ahead by 14 or so at the end of the third quarter. So it was Steph who kept USA in the game and then Steph leading the fourth quarter comeback. He had nine 3 pointers, and a total of 36 points. Kevin Durant and Le Bron make big shots and key defensive plays as well down the stretch, and the USA played like a team. For that game--which Coach Kerr and Durant both said was the best basketball game they'd ever participated in--they were a real team. Serbia played a perfect game, Kerr said, but the US superstars played a better one, by playing together. And by looking for Steph in the stretch.
At the end of that game it was a foregone conclusion to everyone, including the players, that USA would win the gold in the final game with France. But the French team didn't get that memo. They played hard, stayed close, and in the fourth quarter they were very close. Towards the end it was a one or two possession game. But then, improbably again, Steph happened. He hit one three, then another, then another, and finally--night, night--another. Four threes in the last three minutes of the fourth quarter. He won the medal. No player in Olympic history has scored more points in the last two games (60), and no player has ever hit eight three pointers in the medal game.
These last few games were fun to watch. I was more impressed with Le Bron in these Olympics than I ever have been. Kevin Durant, injured for the warmup games, was like a Zen master on the court, hitting his fluid shots and deftly defending with steals and runouts. And wasn't it great to see Steph and KD as teammates again? They seemed to love it. Anthony Davis was essential on defense, and the younger players who now get the most media attention and awards all had their moments, but these three--Le Bron, Durant and Steph--dominated those last several games.
And now, this team that was a dream to play on--it was Curry's dream to play in the Olympics, Le Bron's dream to play with Curry, and Durant felt the dream while playing, --will play together no more. So it will all seem like a dream, but one worth having and remembering.
